Driving the Day Listen to Playbook in 90 Seconds http://bit.ly/2hsI15Z … Subscribe on iTunes http://apple.co/2eX6Eay ... Visit the online home of Playbook http://politi.co/2f51Jnf BULLETIN -- “BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian activists say aircraft have resumed bombing raids over eastern Aleppo, further threatening cease-fire deal.”Story Continued Below Good Wednesday morning. LIKE A GOOD PINOT -- Trump on Paul Ryan in Wisconsin last night, per AP: “At a rally Tuesday in West Allis, Trump praised the Wisconsin politicians in the room. When Ryan drew boos, Trump said he was ‘like a fine wine. Every day that goes by I get to appreciate his genius more and more.’” Video http://bit.ly/2hvPm2v IMPORTANT: THE LINES between the Trump administration and Trump Inc. are already becoming blurred. DONALD TRUMP JR., the president elect’s eldest son, was involved with the interview process for Interior secretary, according to sources familiar with the … [Read more...] about NEWS: Don Trump Jr. involved in INTERIOR search — WAYNE BERMAN up for TRADE REP — TRUMP’S TECH SUMMIT — SPOTTED AT DAVID RUBENSTEIN’S PARTY — B’DAY: Kirsten Powers

Driving the Day Good Thursday morning. SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-ARIZ.) has brain cancer. FROM AP’S DONNA CASSATA: “Sen. John McCain, the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, Vietnam prisoner of war and political maverick in Congress for more than three decades, has been diagnosed with an aggressive type of brain tumor. The 80-year-old Arizona lawmaker has glioblastoma, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, where McCain had a blood clot removed from above his left eye last Friday. He and his family are considering further treatment, including chemotherapy and radiation.” http://bit.ly/2gMxX93 -- FROM THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC: “‘It’s a very aggressive tumor,’ said Dr. Joseph Zabramski, a neurosurgeon at Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. ‘In general, it is a tumor that has relentless force. You can slow it down but not stop it.’ Michael Berens, deputy director of the Translational Genomics Research Institute in downtown … [Read more...] about JOHN MCCAIN has brain cancer — TRUMP goes off script with NYT — Senate GOP at impasse on health care – Trump Jr., Kushner, Manafort to testify next week – BLOOMBERG BUSINESSWEEK on Sinclair

Trump: Dems Not Clapping at State of the Union Was 'Un-American, Treasonous' Levin on FISA Controversy: Obama Likely Knew 'Hillary Clinton Paid for a Warrant' A group of faculty members is pushing a Pennsylvania college to rescind an honorary degree awarded to President Donald Trump nearly 30 years ago, according to several reports. Previously, Lehigh University's board of trustees considered but ultimately took "no action" on a petition by a recent graduate calling for similar action in 2017. Some members of the College of Arts & Sciences at the Bethlehem school - about 90 miles west of New York City - said they are basing their new motion on Trump's past statements they called "antithetical to our core values," WFMZ-69 News reported. Trump received the honorary degree from the school in 1988. His late brother, Fred Trump Jr., was a Lehigh alum. As a @LehighAlumni, I fully endorse this motion. @Lehigh_CAS rightfully recognizes that honorable people get honorary degrees. If … [Read more...] about Faculty at Lehigh Univ. Pushing Trustees to Rescind Trump’s Honorary Degree

WASHINGTON -- The author of a new book that questions President Donald Trump's fitness for office on Monday contradicted Steve Bannon's explanation of comments that had angered his former boss. The book publisher said any effort by Trump to suppress the book would be "flagrantly unconstitutional." Michael Wolff, author of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, took issue with a Bannon mea culpa issued Sunday, in which Trump's former chief strategist sought to make amends for his comments. In the book, Bannon describes a meeting between Donald Trump Jr., senior campaign aides and a Russian lawyer as "treasonous" and "unpatriotic." The reference angered the president, who last week lashed out at Bannon, saying he "lost his mind." Bannon sought to make amends Sunday, saying in a statement that his description wasn't aimed at Trump's son but at former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. [PRESIDENT TRUMP: Timeline, appointments, executive orders + guide to actions in first year] … [Read more...] about Bannon’s dig targeted Trump Jr., writer says

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump and his speech on the opioid crisis (all times local): 4:20 p.m. The acting health and human services secretary has officially declared the opioid crisis a nationwide public health emergency, as requested by President Donald Trump. Eric D. Hargan says in a statement that Trump "has made this national crisis a top priority since he took office in January." And: "we are proud to be leading in this effort at HHS." The declaration does not provide any additional money to fight the opioid epidemic, but it does allow agencies to redirect resources. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 140 Americans die every day from drug overdoses — including 91 specifically from opioids. __ 3:20 p.m. President Donald Trump recalled his brother's struggles with alcohol as he announced new efforts to combat opioid addiction. Speaking at the White House Thursday, Trump said his older brother, Fred … [Read more...] about The Latest: HHS follows Trump in declaring health emergency

WASHINGTON (AP) — In ringing and personal terms, President Donald Trump on Thursday pledged that "we will overcome addiction in America," declaring opioid abuse a national public health emergency and announcing new steps to combat what he described as the worst drug crisis in U.S. history. Trump's declaration, which will be effective for 90 days and can be renewed, will allow the government to redirect resources in various ways and to expand access to medical services in rural areas. But it won't bring new dollars to fight a scourge that kills nearly 100 people a day. "As Americans we cannot allow this to continue," Trump said in a speech at the White House, where he bemoaned an epidemic he said had spared no segment of society, affecting rural areas and cities, rich and poor and both the elderly and newborns. "It is time to liberate our communities from this scourge of drug addiction," he said. "We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic." Deaths have surged … [Read more...] about Trump declares US opioid emergency but pledges no new money

Let's start with the fact that Donald Trump's top surrogate, Rudy Giuliani, is on the payroll. In January, he joined a law firm, Greenberg Traurig, that represents Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Last year, the firm handled Trump's suit against the Florida city of Doral so his golf course could override noise regulations that barred him from bulldozing before sunrise. More recently, it handled Kushner's $340-million acquisition of the Watchtower properties in downtown Brooklyn. When Trump paid a $250,000 fine in 2000 for secretly funding a million-dollar lobbying campaign against an Indian casino in upstate New York, he was represented by Greenberg. Giuliani brought Marc Mukasey, the stepson of ex-U.S. Attorney General and lifelong Giuliani friend Michael Mukasey, with him to Greenberg; Mukasey is now representing legendary leg man Roger Ailes. Mukasey launched into a tirade recently against New York Magazine reporter Gabriel Sherman, calling the Ailes biographer "a virus" … [Read more...] about Peas in a pod: The long and twisted relationship between Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani

Trump's immigration hypocrisy Brooklyn: Donald Trump talks of creating databases of Muslim immigrants and building walls to keep out Latin Americans. But his mother, Mary Anne, was born in Scotland and did not become a legal resident or a citizen of the U.S. until she married Fred Trump. If not for that, the Donald may not have been born. He was, though, and his first wife, Ivana, who was born in what was then Czechoslovakia, was neither a legal resident nor a citizen until she “got legal” by marrying him. His current wife, Melania, was born in Slovenia, and became an American citizen a year after marrying him. There are a few ways to make sense of this drastic disconnect between what Trump says about immigrants, or “illegals” as he likes to call them, and his own life. Perhaps he only likes and trusts “white” undocumented immigrants. Or he loves them all, but pretends to hate them to win votes. Or he truly hates them all, but makes an … [Read more...] about Readers sound off on Trump, bums and threats

Trump in Opioid Address: 90% of Heroin Comes Over Southern Border, We're Building a Wall Ron Reagan: 'Deeply Damaged Human Being' Trump Was 'Vomited into WH' By Electoral College During his speech on the opioid epidemic, President Trump told a personal story about his late brother, underlining why he takes the topic of addiction so seriously.Trump said his oldest brother, Fred Trump Jr., died of complications of an alcohol addiction."He would tell me, 'don't drink'. He would say it over and over again," Trump said.He said he looked up to Fred Jr. and that his death had such a profound effect on him that he has never had a drink."I have no longing for it. I have no interest in it," he said of alcohol.Fred Trump Jr. died at age 43 in 1981. He had been a pilot and father of two.However, his predilection for alcohol affected his work and personal life, and after several years moved back to Jamaica Estates, N.Y. to live with his parents, according to the New York Times.Kimberly … [Read more...] about WATCH: Trump Tells Personal Story During Speech on Addiction

New York — Apprentices no more, Eric and Donald Trump Jr. are now at the helm of the Trump Organization and adjusting to the reality presented by their father’s presidency. They’re eyeing ways to use the new lease on the family fame by expanding the brand into parts of the United States that embrace him.Some business has slowed as a result of the pledge to stall international dealmaking while Trump is president. But a U.S. push is planned, and two new hotel chains are being considered — a four-star brand and a less luxurious line — possibly in states where Trump triumphed over Democrat Hillary Clinton last November.“I think it makes it naturally easier if you’re going into a place that’s not adversarial to you,” Donald Trump Jr. said in a recent interview.The Trump Organization is a private, family-run business that owns billions of dollars’ worth of hotels, office buildings, golf courses and management and licensing … [Read more...] about Trump sons take helm of company, eye domestic expansion